The morality of theft

[feral]

If you are sincerely in need and you steal food, medicine or money for food, medicine or shelter, is that immoral? I'm referring to having no food and not being able to access a shelter or soup kitchen, and stealing meat or bread from a store in order to survive, or having a disease which requires a very expensive medicine which you can't afford, and having no insurance to cover it, stealing it or the cash to buy it. Are these things wrong or okay under the circumstances?

 

[Jacob4Jesus]

If you are sincerely in need and you steal food, medicine or money for food, medicine or shelter, is that immoral? I'm referring to having no food and not being able to access a shelter or soup kitchen, and stealing meat or bread from a store in order to survive, or having a disease which requires a very expensive medicine which you can't afford, and having no insurance to cover it, stealing it or the cash to buy it. Are these things wrong or okay under the circumstances?

Forever known as the "Les Miserables" paradox. Just kidding, but I have always found this question hard to answer.

 

[Teh Wiccan]

Is it ever ok to steal? No. However, in those situations theres a good chance I would.

 

[Josonic]

No, just think of the golden rule. Now maybe you should ask somebody if you could have that thing and give ur circumstances but dont just steal. "Thou shall not steal" not "Thou shall not steal unless in desperate need"

 

[revolutio]

This is more of a case-by-case sort of thing. There are many situations in which the benefits of stealing outweigh its obvious negative effects.

 

[MoonlessNight]

"It is better to take what does not belong to you than to let it lie around neglected." -- Mark Twain

 

[nonny]

I put "I don't know". It would depend on the situation. I'm more of a "squeeky wheel gets the oil" type person. I'd ask and ask again and see what happens after I let my situation be known. People usually are interested in helping one another...kind of a pack mentality. Haven't you seen a scenario where some kid needs chemo and the family doesn't have insurance and they have 'collection' bins at banks and grocery stores?


I guess the situation would have to be really, really bad before I'd steal. But I would....if it was really really a bad situation. (I'd feel guilty about it too)

 

[onajourney87]

It's never okay to steal.

Though I do admit, if I wasn't a Christian, I would steal in the situation(s) you described.

Being a Christian however, I have faith God will work things out.


Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

osm

 

[tcampen]

It's never okay to steal.

Though I do admit, if I wasn't a Christian, I would steal in the situation(s) you described.

Being a Christian however, I have faith God will work things out.


Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

osm

God helps those who help themselves, so I thought. Stealing is always wrong. However, it could be justified to prevent a far greater wrong - just as taking human life is always wrong, but justified in instances of self defense, for example. Bright lines are easy, but not always right.

 

[BInC]

I believe that stealing is wrong, no matter what. I would like to think that in a situation like this that I would be able to find some way to survive without stealing.

Here is this though. The bible makes it clear that stealing is wrong. However, the bible also makes it clear that if someone needs somthing, I mean really needs, then you should not withold it from them. I guess it is just an example of how one wrong leads to another.

But I also see the side of the story that you can't just give away free food to everyone that asks. We live in a society that is based on "mine." No one person, and most likely no group of people, could just decide to go change how things are. They would get taken advantage of. The only way to solve problems like this would be if EVERYONE in the entire world decided to be less selfish. Otherwise, it is nearly impossible for anyone to be giving without looseing everything they have.

I guess what I am saying is, stealing is wrong no matter what. But because we live in an imperfect world, one sin causes another until even good people get caught up in the flood.

I did my best to explain how I feel. If I didn't make myself clear, someone tell me and I can try again.

 

[Thwingly]

Hello everyone!

I believe it's never okay to steal, besides you could just pray about it and God would provide. A common atheist tactic (or at least that I've encountered) is to take a situation where a certain action is wrong, then make up an absurd set of conditions to try and justify that action. Truth be told, it is selfish to steal in this case; who do you care more about, the person the food belongs to, or you?

"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will recieve." Matthew 21:22

So, we see there are two ways of getting through this situation, asking God, and stealing, which one do you think is better (both are guaranteed)?

Also, not stealing would be a great way to show others your moral conviction to others, where as they might say "wow I would go for it in a heartbeat."

Well that's enough for now, peace.

-Thwingly

 

[onajourney87]

God helps those who help themselves, so I thought.

That's 100% unbiblical.

Stealing is always wrong. However, it could be justified to prevent a far greater wrong - just as taking human life is always wrong, but justified in instances of self defense, for example. Bright lines are easy, but not always right.

Okay, true. It certianly wouldn't be wrong for the US to steal a nuke from N. Korea in order to protect itself. The Bible teaches that it is the government's job to protect the people. But generally speaking, stealing is always wrong.

osm

 

[Havoc]

Situational morality is a difficult one to discuss. For instance we have had people who claim to be "true" Christians in these forums spend post after post after post trying to justify their plagerism, which is theft, rather than just admit their fault. That's not even a situation where need is a factor.

Theft is always abhorrent... except when you're the one doing it.

 

[Ampmonster]

plagerism of the bible?!?! sorry but we're supposed to share that with others.
you really reaching with that one.

 

[Havoc]

plagerism of the bible?!?! sorry but we're supposed to share that with others.
you really reaching with that one.

Sigh....

Nooooooooooo....

I'm referring to Christians who quote from other peoples work, don't cite the author as is required by Law, and then spend three pages of posts trying to convince us that they did nothing wrong when people gently remind them about copyright infringement.

We've seen that many times in these forums.

 

[BInC]

Yes, stealing is always wrong. As far as the situational morality goes, here is my opnion. Stealing is always wrong, but in some cases it might also be wrong not to steal (like the example about taking the bombs from North Korea) so i comes down to picking the lesser of two evils. Like I said earlier, sometimes there is no choice that doesn't result in somthing wrong.

 

[The Fireman]

Stealing is always wrong? I totally disagree.

The moral dilema of feeding your starving children or letting them starve, so as not to committ the sin of theft is absurd.

Whatever a human needs to sustain a minimal human life is theirs out of the abundance of others. This concurs with the principle of the universal destination of created goods.

Christians and non christians let us all realize that these black and white lines exist in our minds so that we may put ourselves on pedestals and look down at all those "bad" people.

Some acts are inherently evil, but I do believe in situational morality.

Intent, intent, intent. Feeding your starving child is not being selfish, eating is a moral act and stealing food to feed the hungry is couragous to me!

The Fireman

 

[water_ripple]

The immorality of not feeding someone when they do not have the means themselves is what is immoral. A person should be convivted in their own spirit of knowing that somebody is stealing because they are going hungry then blaming them with immorality, and looking down upon them.

 

[water_ripple]

We should be helping those less fortunate than ourselves..not throwing them in the slammer because that was the last resort to feed their family.

 

[tcampen]

Hello everyone!

I believe it's never okay to steal, besides you could just pray about it and God would provide. A common atheist tactic (or at least that I've encountered) is to take a situation where a certain action is wrong, then make up an absurd set of conditions to try and justify that action. Truth be told, it is selfish to steal in this case; who do you care more about, the person the food belongs to, or you?

Apply even the most remote of possibilities to a position tests the veracity of that position, however remote it may be. This is not an "athiest" tactic, but proven methodology of evaluating a claim.

True, it is never ok to steal, but sometimes is the lesser of two evils. Keep in mind that plenty of people starve to death, die of exposure to the elements or die due to a lack of otherwise available medicine. So the idea that one must only pray and their needs will be met doesn't seem to have the kind of support you might think. I don't advocate stealing, but simply recognize the rare circumstance where it may be necessary.